Trouble with tailgaters

[Norm Peterson]

I thought the joke was completely obvious, but I guess there's always 1% that don't get it.

Minus being cussed at and allegedly threatened, it might have turned out differently. It's not on the recipient to overlook such tactics.

"What if my passenger is blind" would have gone over far better.


Norm

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[Norm Peterson]

I still REALLY do feel bad about the one. I miscalculated.

Noted and accepted.

 

[Twizzty]

"...My only passengers are the blind..." The entire post is obviously a joke and I LOL'd.

 

[Ebm]

"...My only passengers are the blind..." The entire post is obviously a joke and I LOL'd.

Without knowing who posted it, some people would think differently.

Part of being able to tell if someone is joking requires being in front of the person to hear their tone, the mood of the situation, and their facial expressions. Many unintended fights happen over the internet because one person was joking and the other person thought it was serious.

 

[frank s]

(Weeps)

First time I've seen Norm caught off-base.

(Over it by now)

 

[Jmtoast]

this last page is what happens when you tailgate..

 

[Twizzty]

Without knowing who posted it, some people would think differently.

Part of being able to tell if someone is joking requires being in front of the person to hear their tone, the mood of the situation, and their facial expressions. Many unintended fights happen over the internet because one person was joking and the other person thought it was serious.

I'm well aware of how these things get distorted over the internet. But even after re-reading the post it's obviously a joke.

 

[Bikeman315]

I'm well aware of how these things get distorted over the internet. But even after re-reading the post it's obviously a joke.

Regardless of whether or not it was obvious all of us just need to be a little bit more considerate of one another. We are all car people and have a love of our Mustangs. We can make this forum a safe place to have some fun and enjoy our passions. Let try it.
And not that it matters, I knew it was meant to be humorous.

 

[Twizzty]

So is this a bad time to call you a snowflake?




*no feelings were harmed in the making of this post*

 

[Hack]

I've been driving for 36 years and high beams is the correct way to address someone in front of you. Horns don't work at highways speeds because of doppler effect & distance, but that doesn't mean someone won't abuse their high beams, or over use them. But that is not the point here.

If you are angered because someone blipped you, it is because you were not paying attention to the road and didn't see them coming up on you.

I think one of the biggest issues on the road is different people have different ideas about what is acceptable.

IMO the brights should only be used when there are ZERO other cars in front of you. Otherwise you could temporarily blind another driver on the road. Using brights to try to communicate with another driver is very dangerous. Not as bad as doing a brake check, but still bad behavior.

I have turned my lights off on occasion to communicate with someone - mostly that their lights are off. It grabs someone's attention but there's no chance of blinding them.

 

[GT Pony]

... because the trans downshifts and slows the car down, I tend to lay off the brakes. This is a good thing, and the car is a dream to drive. But, the last few times out, I noticed people tailgating me; could it be because I don't use the brakes until I need them, the people behind me don't see any brakelights and tend to 'run up" on you?

If they don't tailgate or run up on you until you start slowing down then it's because they are not realizing the slow down as fast as when brake lights would give them warning.

Try tapping the brakes a few times lightly just to give a warning and see if that changes how people react.

 

[Bikeman315]

So is this a bad time to call you a snowflake?




*no feelings were harmed in the making of this post*

 

[Norm Peterson]

Without knowing who posted it, some people would think differently.

Part of being able to tell if someone is joking requires being in front of the person to hear their tone, the mood of the situation, and their facial expressions. Many unintended fights happen over the internet because one person was joking and the other person thought it was serious.

Agreed.

But starting a post off by cussing another person out and calling him insensitive is a pretty effective way of disguising any humorous intentions.


Norm

 

[frank s]

Somewhere around here I have a copy of a California Drivers Handbook I used to study up for the re-licensing routine. Late 1970s, middle '80s, I think. I kept it for one reason: the section where it suggested/recommended tapping the brake pedal when someone is following too close.

I disagreed then, and now, for safety reasons. I also disagree, same reasons, with the permission granted motorcyclists to "lane split". Who approves this stuff?

Couple of days ago I was on a four-lane each way freeway, in the number three lane, travelling one mph over the limit. Gradually overtaking cars on my right, being passed, gradually, by cars in the immediate left lane (number two) and watching the speed freaks buzz on past in the number one lane, ten or so mph over the 65-mph limit. From out of the crowd behind came a compact SUV, swapping lanes to get to number one. At the moment the SUV had to decide which lane would work better in the quest to get ahead, it chose my lane, and was blocked by car to my left, car to my right, and me. Came really, really close to my back bumper.

This is the kind of driver who is concentrating on driving, is possibly aware of the physics involved, and likely alert enough to avoid dire consequences of a Brake Check. What did I do? Made no changes; nothing I could have done would improve anyone's chances of avoiding any kind of consequences. Ninety or more percent of my tailgating experiences follow that path. Even if I could communicate with the driver it would be for naught: their minds are full of almost anything other than modifying their plan. Whatever my active options, they could very possibly result in even stupider behavior by the close-follower.

My wife suggests the best idea is to put on your right turn signal so they will know you see them and want to get out of the way.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Couple of days ago I was on a four-lane each way freeway, in the number three lane, travelling one mph over the limit. Gradually overtaking cars on my right, being passed, gradually, by cars in the immediate left lane (number two) and watching the speed freaks buzz on past in the number one lane, ten or so mph over the 65-mph limit. From out of the crowd behind came a compact SUV, swapping lanes to get to number one. At the moment the SUV had to decide which lane would work better in the quest to get ahead, it chose my lane, and was blocked by car to my left, car to my right, and me. Came really, really close to my back bumper.

At least that driver had something of a plan other than semi-permanently parking himself just off your rear bumper. You (and hopefully those in the adjacent lanes) doing nothing would be the right call. It's fortunate when most of anybody's tailgating experiences are similar. I suspect he was aware and alert enough, but still misjudged things a bit anyway.

For those who have basically NASCAR-drafted me on the street, I've been known to very gradually vary my speed up and down over about a 3 or 4 mph range. Seems to work a lot of the time, either they back off a bit or go around.


Lane-splitting bike riders . . . organ donors. I used to ride (last bike was a 750cc Triumph) and still carry a motorcycle endorsement.


Norm

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